Tear-off device



.MarCh-Zs, 1933. E E I 1,903,173

TEAR-OFF DEVICE Filed March 30, 1931 Z ZIZ E ZZu flu rlffe' J- Patented Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED, STATES JOHN E. EUTH, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGnon ':I0' UNITED A U 'IOGRAPHIOBEGIS TEB CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORBQRA'IION :OF ILLINOIS TEAIt-OFF DEVICE Application filed March 30; 1981. Serial No. 526,480.

This invention relates to devices for tearing sheet material and particularly to devices for tearing paper sheets or slips used in ordinary business routine. i

In producing manifold copies for order forms, invoices, shop orders, and the like, it is often necessary that a portion of the form be a label that can be readily cut out of the form itself and applied to the package for shipment.

Heretofore, it has been the practice, in such cases, to perforate around the label portion so that the label can be torn from the form readily. It often happens that the tear does not follow the perforations, and results 7 in the mutilation of the label.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple tear-off device which will permit certain areas of a paper sheet to be torn out very rapidly and conveniently, and obviate any need for perforations or lines of weakening in the sheet itself.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tear-off plate embodying the invention and shows how a sheet may be severed thereon; Fig. 2, a plan view of the plate; and Fig. 3, a transverse vertical sectional view-taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2.

In the construction illustrated a base-plate 10 is provided with four resilient domes or legs 11. The plate may be made of sheet steel if desired, 16 gauge being satisfactory. Two adjoining marginal edges of the base-plate are rovided with narrow guide-strips 12 whic also serve as spacing and supporting means for the top-plate or templet 13. Y

The templet 13 has the contour of the area to be torn out. It is fixedly mounted on the guide-strips 12 and extends outwardly over the base-plate to form a paper-admitting slot 14. The free edges of the templet are beveled as shown at 15 to provide sharp tearing edges which meet at a oint 16 which initially pierces the sheets durlng the severing operation. The templet is provided with a fingeropening 17 through which the operator holds the strips against the base-plate during the preferred to tearing operation and is also helpful in removing the severed area from the slot 14 after severance.

To use the device, the forms are inserted between the templet and base plate and aligned by means of the guide-strips, the operator holds the forms with his thumb or finger in the opening 17 and pulls the ticket against both edges simultaneously.

If desired, the guide-strips 12, which also serve as spacing means for the top-plate, may be of a resilient material such as rubber which will permit the top-plate to be pressed against the base-plate and grip an interposed slip. The top-plate is made of steel, preferably, and while it is resilient enough itself to permit suflicient bending to grip an interposed slip, using the mounting shown, it is provide a finger-opening for that purpose.

By using the device the label is torn out very quickly and cleanly and without danger of mutilating the label itself or the invoice. The operation is much quicker in tearing even one label than is the old practice of tearing around a perforation, and when six or eight forms are put into the device and torn at one operation, the saving in time is substantial.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in View of the prior art.

PATENroFFIC What I regard as new, and desire to secure 2. In combination: a base-plate; a topplate fixedly mounted thereon in spaced relation so as to provide an intervening slot into which a sheet of material may be inserted for severance, said top plate having a tear-01f edge and being provided with a finger-opening to permit the sheet to be gripped during a tearing-operation; and guides Within said slot to position said sheet When fully inserted therein.

JOHN E. EUTH. 

